Club news 10-20-13

Town and Country FCE

The Town and Country FCE Club met Oct. 10 with Joyce King and Karen Murphy serving as co-hostesses. Mary Klaproth gave the devotion, "Freely receive and freely give." Money was collected for the September calendar. Pennies for "Coins for Friendship" were collected. Roll call was answered with a fact about autism. A note from The Lutheran Home was read, thanking the club for the bingo prizes. Sue Jones, president, presided over the business meeting.

Members planted a crepe myrtle tree at the University of Missouri Outreach and Extension Education Center in Jackson and planned to attend New McKendree United Methodist Church Oct. 13 and go out to lunch at a restaurant after the service. This was in observance of NAFCE Week, Oct. 13 through 19.

Darlene McCain, Lois Seabaugh, Donna Woolsey, Jones and Klaproth attended the fall district meeting in Doniphan, Mo., hosted by Ripley County, on Oct. 10.

Jones, Klaproth, McCain, Murphy, Seabaugh and Woolsey signed up for the fall leader-training lessons to be held Nov. 1 at Farrar, Mo. Lessons include a taste of mental health first aid, herb gardening, what to do with chronic pain, crockpot cooking and food safety.

Members will deliver the Show Me Justice Games to fourth-grade classes at Immaculate Conception School, St. Paul Lutheran School and the Jackson R-2 Schools.

Members voted to place a Christmas display in Cape Girardeau County Park this year. The club has placed a Christmas display in the park since the first year it was started. The display will be put up at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 23.

Members brought Halloween candy to fill treat sacks for the students at Cottonwood Residential Treatment Center to be delivered on Oct. 31. Members will also provide a Halloween party for the students at Parkview State School.

The club received a certificate from the Friends of the Troops for the Christmas cards mailed to the military in 2012. Members brought Christmas cards to the meeting to be mailed to the military for this year.

Klaproth gave a brief report on the annual MAFCE conference held Sept. 18 through 20 in Jefferson City, Mo. Town and Country FCE Club received a certificate of appreciation in recognition of outstanding service for 2012 Club Achievement Gold Seal.

Linda Thompson presented the program on autism, giving much information on the disorder. In addition, all members participated in Hearth Fire No. 50, Woman to Woman-How Do We talk About Autism?

Club out will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Hickory House Restaurant in Jackson.

The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Nov. 14 at the home of Jones. McCain will present the program on foods from foreign countries.

American Legion Auxiliary 63

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 63 met Oct. 9 with Catherine Allison, Linda Sanders and Shirley Young providing lunch for the 16 members present. Jerry Stone won the 50/50 drawing and names were drawn for the table prizes.

Cathy Coffman, occupational therapist at Saint Francis Medical Center, spoke to the group on precautions to take to prevent falls as well as balance problems.

Linda Kern received a handmade baby quilt donated for the club's use or to be used to benefit our organization. Members voted to sell chances at 50 cents each or 3 for $1, with the drawing to take place at an upcoming dinner.

Members are asked to bring an unwrapped gift to the November meeting to be given to Jefferson Elementary School for the students to select a Christmas gift for their parents. Kern will deliver the items to the school.

Members indicated the number of cakes they will bring for the American Legion ham and bean dinner Nov. 7. If possible bring cakes in the morning, as serving begins at 11 a.m.

Barbara Yallaly will take snack items to the Alternative School on Make a Difference Day.

Members voted to donate $500 for the purchase of gifts for the Veterans Home gift shop.

The auxiliary will meet at 11 a.m. Nov. 13 at the Arena Building and have lunch as a group to support the annual spaghetti dinner sponsored by the city of Cape Girardeau. After lunch we will assemble at the post home for the regular meeting.

Dates to remember are the district meeting at 2 p.m. Nov. 3 in Cape Girardeau and Thanksgiving dinner at the post on Nov. 20.

Southeast District Fall FCE Meeting

The Southeast District fall FCE meeting was held on Oct. 10 at the Assembly of God Church in Doniphan, Mo., with the theme "Friends caring and encouraging." The meeting was hosted by Ripley County. There were 15 FCE members from Cape Girardeau County attending and Mary Gosche, FCE consultant, with other members from Bollinger, Butler, Perry, Ripley and Wayne Counties with a total attendance of 46.

The Southeast District director, Jo Ann Hahs, opened the meeting with a welcome and announcements. Diane Silman, MSW, LCSW, was the guest speaker. She spoke about domestic violence. Lynn Maples and Betty Schalk told the group about a new program being started on the national FCE Level with Missouri asked to participate in the pilot program, "Steppingstones for health," small steps to improve your health.

Hahs introduced Lois Frtsche of Perry County with a membership certificate for 55 years of membership in FCE.

Members attending brought silent auction items, which brought a total of $326.

After lunch the Ponder Boosters FCE Club of Ripley County presented a fashion show.

It was voted and approved going forward to charge $15 for registration for the district meetings.

Door prizes were donated by the counties attending and handed out by Ripley County.

Hahs announced the spring district meeting will be hosted by Butler County on April 29, 2014, in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Swinton Christian Church

The Swinton Christian Church at Swinton, Mo., held its 2013 reunion on Oct. 6. There were approximately 30 people in attendance. A basket dinner started the reunion and then a short business meeting was held. It was decided that a new platform needs to be rebuilt at the front of the church. A few of the men in attendance agreed to see that it was taken care of.

Ruth Wilson McGee and Toni and Harold Wheetley led the group in singing gospel songs. Rhonda Cooper sang a special song. Gary Cooper gave the sermon.

Those attending from Advance, Mo., were Oma Cagle, Linda Breitweg, Eddie Roper, Wade Moore, Harlan Langston, Lorene Lee, Mickey Prosser-Burlison, Shelby Mann and Kernethia Pruitt. Those attending from Bloomfield, Mo., were Junior and Ruth Cagle, Ruth McKee, Harold and Toni Wheetley, Blanton King and Wilda Mae Armes. Those attending from Cape Girardeau were Bert and Jobyna Daume and Raymond Brinkopf. Also attending was Irene Payton from Dexter, Mo., Kevn Hindman and Edith Green from Sturdivant, Mo., Jill and John Darwent from Clark, Mo., and Dorthy Riley from California, Mo.

-- From staff reports